Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton

"Laird's incredible story began in 1960s Hawaii. Finding solace from an abusive home, he rebelled and funneled his energy into big wave Pipeline surfing, awakening a natural talent. More than an athlete with Hollywood good looks, Hamilton proved himself a true innovator, pushing conventions to the extreme and reinventing surfing throughout his career. A pioneer in both tow-in surfing and foil boarding, he distinguished himself from surfing legends of the time who wanted to maintain the purity of the sport." (Sundance Film Festival)

This slick, entertaining portrait won't provide many surprises for those who've followed the subject's high-profile career - as pretty much anyone interested in surfing has - but should fascinate others for whom he's a less familiar personality.

Hamilton's story is so filled with dramatic incident and personal and psychological complexity, not to mention spectacular visuals of waves upward of 100 feet tall, that it compels attention whether surfing means anything to you or not.